Patentable/Patents/US-12237031
US-12237031

Refresh rate selection for a memory built-in self-test

PublishedFebruary 25, 2025
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

Implementations described herein relate to refresh rate selection for a memory built-in self-test. A memory device may read one or more bits, associated with the memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device. The memory device may identify, based on the one or more bits, a refresh rate to be used while performing the memory built-in self-test. The refresh rate may indicate a rate at which memory cells, to be tested by the memory built-in self-test, are to be refreshed while the memory built-in self-test is being performed. The memory device may perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the refresh rate.

Patent Claims
25 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A memory device, comprising: one or more components configured to: read one or more bits, associated with a memory built-in self-test, that are stored in a mode register of the memory device; identify, based on the one or more bits, a refresh rate to be used while performing the memory built-in self-test, wherein the refresh rate indicates a rate at which memory cells, to be tested by the memory built-in self-test, are to be refreshed while the memory built-in self-test is being performed; perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the refresh rate; identify a non-test refresh rate to be used while performing one or more read or write operations, wherein the non-test refresh rate indicates a rate at which the memory cells are to be refreshed while the one or more read or write operations are being performed; and perform the one or more read or write operations while refreshing the memory cells according to the non-test refresh rate.

2

2. The memory device of claim 1, wherein a first value of the one or more bits indicates a first refresh rate to be used while performing the memory built-in self-test, and a second value of the one or more bits indicates a second refresh rate to be used while performing the memory built-in self-test.

3

3. The memory device of claim 2, wherein the one or more components, to perform the memory built-in self-test, are configured to: perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the first refresh rate based on the one or more bits having the first value; and perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the second refresh rate based on the one or more bits having the second value.

4

4. The memory device of claim 2, wherein the second refresh rate is a slower refresh rate than the first refresh rate.

5

5. The memory device of claim 2, wherein the second refresh rate is an integer multiple of the first refresh rate.

6

6. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more components, to perform the memory built-in self-test, are configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections of a plurality of memory sections associated with the memory device.

7

7. The memory device of claim 6, wherein the one or more memory sections include a single memory section of the plurality of memory sections, or at least two memory sections, but fewer than all memory sections, of the plurality of memory sections.

8

8. The memory device of claim 6, wherein the one or more components are further configured to read a bit that is stored in a section identifier mode register, wherein a first value of the bit indicates that a memory section, of the plurality of memory sections and corresponding to the bit, is to be tested, and wherein a second value of the bit indicates that the memory section is not to be tested.

9

9. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the one or more components are further configured to: identify an updated refresh rate to be used while performing the memory built-in self-test, wherein the updated refresh rate indicates an updated rate at which the memory cells, to be tested by the memory built-in self-test, are to be refreshed while the memory built-in self-test is being performed; and perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the updated refresh rate.

10

10. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the refresh rate and the non-test refresh rate are a same refresh rate.

11

11. The memory device of claim 1, wherein the refresh rate and the non-test refresh rate are different refresh rates.

12

12. A system, comprising: a host device configured to: identify a refresh rate to be used by a memory device in connection with performing a memory built-in self-test, wherein the refresh rate indicates a rate at which memory cells of the memory device, to be tested by the memory built-in self-test, are to be refreshed while the memory built-in self-test is being performed by the memory device; and transmit, to the memory device, a mode register write command that indicates a controller is to write one or more bits to a mode register of the memory device, wherein the one or more bits indicate the refresh rate to be used in connection with the memory built-in self-test; and the memory device, wherein the memory device is configured to: read the one or more bits from the mode register of the memory device; perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the refresh rate; identify a non-test refresh rate to be used while performing one or more read or write operations, wherein the non-test refresh rate indicates a rate at which the memory cells are to be refreshed while the one or more read or write operations are being performed; and perform the one or more read or write operations while refreshing the memory cells according to the non-test refresh rate.

13

13. The system of claim 12, wherein a first value of the one or more bits indicates a first refresh rate to be used in connection with the memory built-in self-test, and a second value of the one or more bits indicates a second refresh rate to be used in connection with the memory built-in self-test.

14

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the memory device, to perform the memory built-in self-test, is configured to: perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the first refresh rate based on the one or more bits having the first value; and perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the second refresh rate based on the one or more bits having the second value.

15

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the second refresh rate is a slower refresh rate than the first refresh rate.

16

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second refresh rate is an integer multiple of the first refresh rate.

17

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the memory device, to perform the memory built-in self-test, is configured to perform the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections of a plurality of memory sections associated with the memory device.

18

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more memory sections include a single memory section of the plurality of memory sections, or at least two memory sections, but fewer than all memory sections, of the plurality of memory sections.

19

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the host device is further configured to: identify an updated refresh rate based on a periodic update or based on detecting an occurrence of a condition; and transmit, to the memory device, an updated mode register write command that indicates the controller is to write one or more updated bits to the mode register of the memory device, wherein the one or more updated bits indicate the updated refresh rate to be used in connection with the memory built-in self-test.

20

20. A method, comprising: reading one or more bits that are stored in a mode register of a memory device and that indicate a test parameter to be used during a first time period in which a memory built-in self-test is to be performed, wherein the test parameter indicates a refresh rate or a timing property that is to be used for memory cells of the memory device during the first time period in which the memory built-in self-test is to be performed; performing the memory built-in self-test during the first time period and in accordance with the test parameter; identifying a non-test parameter to be used during a second time period, wherein the non-test parameter indicates a non-test refresh rate that is to be used while performing one or more read or write operations using the memory cells during the second time period, wherein the non-test refresh rate indicates a rate at which the memory cells are to be refreshed while the one or more read or write operations are being performed; and performing the one or more read or write operations, using the memory cells, during the second time period and after performing the memory built-in self-test, wherein the one or more read or write operations are performed according to the non-test parameter.

21

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the refresh rate indicates a rate at which the memory cells of the memory device are to be refreshed during the first time period, and the timing property indicates a write recovery time, a row active time, a row cycle time, a row pre-charging time, a row address to column address delay, or an internal write to read command delay to be used for the memory cells during the first time period.

22

22. The method of claim 20, wherein performing the memory built-in self-test comprises performing the memory built-in self-test for one or more memory sections, but fewer than all memory sections, of a plurality of memory sections associated with the memory device.

23

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the test parameter is a select parameter having a select value and the non-test parameter is the select parameter having the select value.

24

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the test parameter is a select parameter having a first value and the non-test parameter is the select parameter having a second value.

25

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the memory device is further configured to: read the one or more updated bits from the mode register of the memory device; and perform the memory built-in self-test while refreshing the memory cells according to the updated refresh rate.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

June 16, 2022

Publication Date

February 25, 2025

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Cite as: Patentable. “Refresh rate selection for a memory built-in self-test” (US-12237031). https://patentable.app/patents/US-12237031

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Refresh rate selection for a memory built-in self-test — Scott E. Schaefer | Patentable